SNP aims to address ‘increasing marketisation’ of NHS

The Scottish National Party launches its manifesto on Monday, promising to use its clout at Westminster to reverse spending cuts.

The SNP - which current polling suggests could be the UK's third largest party after the election on 7 May - says its plans will be designed to influence policies right across the UK.

Scotland's Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, said the party would address what it sees as the increasing privatisation of the NHS.

He said: “The direction of the travel in the health service in England is taking the health service increasingly in the direction of marketisation which will ultimately affect the funding available to the health service in Scotland where we don’t believe in marketisation.”

James Naughtie asked Mr Swinney about a manifesto setting out policies that would affect everyone in the UK, in areas that in Scotland are already devolved to the Scottish parliament.